OSU football: Big tight end Blake Jackson will be a receiving threat for Cowboys

The fact that the Pokes have one tight end signee (junior college transfer Blake Jackson) and one tight end commit (Broken Arrow's Zac Veatch) in the 2012 recruiting class does not mean the offense is changing from the up-tempo, spread attack that has helped OSU compile a 23-3 record over the past two seasons.

With Jackson, it means the Cowboys are about to utilize a bigger weapon — literally — in role that has been filled by wide receivers in recent years.

Jackson sports a 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame. His coach at Scottsdale Community College, Doug Madoski, consistently marveled at Jackson's ability to control his body in midair and catch any ball in his general vicinity. He was a first-team NJCAA All-American this past season and fits the mold of pass-catching tight ends like Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez.

“He's not a 265-pound guy that's going to go out and block a defensive end,” Madoski said. “Blake's much more of a receiving threat, which I think fits much better in Oklahoma State's offense than he would in a lot offenses. It's that whole wide-open attack.”